No Flapping Necessary

Here in Northern California we have a lot of turkey vultures--maybe you have them where you live too. I used to find them mildly irritating to watch because at times they give the impression of being incredibly clumsy. When they fly, they go along just fine flying gracefully, and then for no visible reason they look like they are losing their balance and teeter unsteadily until they regain control. I caught this one in flight over my back yard recently. After watching several turkey vultures for awhile that day, I decided I wanted to know why they had such an apparently hard time flying. The information I found put me in my place--I should have known God had a great design when He created this impressive bird. Turkey vultures are masters at conserving energy. They are among the most skilled gliders in North America. Turkey vultures wait until the morning air is warmed by the sun, then take off from a lofty perch. They circle upward, looking for thermals, or pockets of rising warm air. When they find one of these thermals, they ride it higher and higher without ever having to flap their wings. Turkey vultures can stay aloft for over 6 hours gliding from one thermal to another, no flapping necessary. They only look unsteady when they have lost the thermal they were riding. Ever find yourself in a flap? Ever feel like you're fighting the world-wind, and feeling that you're about to crash and burn? Me too. The turkey vulture whom God created to glide, knows something that can help us. The warm thermals of rising air that enable this bird to glide so easily remind me of the Holy Spirit. His gentle and quiet Presence as He buoys me up, enables me to soar above the fray of the world and its ways. He wants to do His work in my life so I can calmly, quietly, gracefully survey and manage my life and my daily needs from HIS vantage point powered by His uplift. When I rely on His energy, I am freed up to enjoy the good gifts my Heavenly Father gives and to be about Kingdom business for God's glory.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV

When I suddenly look up and find myself flailing and flapping unnecessarily I will be reminded of the turkey vulture and what he knows about gliding. If I am unexpectedly teetering and feeling out of control, maybe it's because I got away from the thermal of the Holy Spirit's power . . . or maybe I am trying to do things my own way . . . flap . . . flap . . . flop. When that happens, I will stop flapping and get back to resting on the lovely lift of Spirit-love, and rejoice in the freedom of soaring with Him.